As we begin to work with couples on their weddings, we are often asked who exactly is responsible for what when it comes to the couple, family members, and wedding party members. While you may have attended weddings in the past, we understand that doesn’t always make you an expert on how everything was accomplished prior to or on the wedding day. With this blog series, we will identify the most important tasks and responsibilities for all of the VIP family and friends involved in your wedding!
So let’s start with the couple. The first two tasks will guide most of the major decisions for your wedding weekend, and that is establishing your guest list and your budget. Wedding budgets today have contributions from a variety of people – we see a lot of couples contributing to it themselves, as well as both sets of parents, and sometimes even grandparents. There is no set standard as to who is contributing what for the modern wedding. It is important that as a couple you speak with everyone who is contributing so you thoroughly understand what your budget is. Along with the budget, you will want to create your guest list. We like for these to go hand in hand as each one can affect the other. With your budget in mind, you may decide you need to decrease your guest list in order to allow for the amazing band that you know is a must have for your reception.
With these two items checked off your list, it is time to hire a planner! Your planner will be able to guide you in developing your overall budget based on the amount you are prepared to spend, recommend venues and vendors, and walk you through the entire process. Are you ready to plan most of the wedding yourself, but would like to hire a planner for wedding day management? We would still recommend hiring a planner on the front end of your planning process as they can make vendor recommendations and answer other planning questions along the way.
Now it’s time for some fun tasks! If you are planning to have a wedding party, decide together whether you want the number of wedding party members to match on each side, or if you are ok with it being uneven. Then find a fun way to ask them! Whether it’s a cute gift or a clever card, this is a fun way to celebrate with your closest friends. With your wedding party selected, start to chat about where you would like to go on your honeymoon. Will you be exploring Europe or sipping drinks at an all-inclusive Caribbean resort?
As you begin venue tours and vendor meetings, you will also want to pick your attire for the wedding day. For brides, it is important to remember that some dresses can take as long as 6-9 months to be created and shipped to the bridal salon after you order it. If you are a groom and want a custom suit or tux, you will want to start this process early as well so you have plenty of time for the piece to be made and fitted to you once it arrives.
As the wedding weekend approaches, you will have some smaller detail decisions to make, such as your first dance song, parent dance songs, ceremony music, assigning tables once you receive RSVPs, and creating your photography shot list. Your planner is here to help and provide you with suggestions for each and every one of these! We also recommend starting to write thank you notes as soon as the gifts begin to arrive. This will make the task less daunting after the wedding since you will have completed so many prior to your wedding weekend.
Your wedding weekend has arrived, which means you as a couple must have so much to do, right? Wrong! This is your moment to enjoy the company of your family and friends and know that your planner, your venue, and your vendors have everything under control. Soak in each and every moment of the weekend because it will be over before you know it!
Need some help with any of these tasks? Contact us for more information about how the Emily Jordan Events team can help walk you through each step of the wedding planning process. And tune in a few weeks from now as we talk about the important duties of the Maid of Honor!
Thanks for the photos!!
Justen Clay Photography
Garter+Whiskey Photography
Tessa Rice Photography
Jessica Williams Studio